Cosmetic surgery is becoming an increasingly popular trend, with cheek implants being one of the favoured elective procedures among Hollywood celebrities. While the procedure is usually performed without any complications, there are times in which mistakes are made, often leading to physical, emotional and financial damage. If this had happened to you, you need professional legal and medical advice, as it may be that your pain and suffering occurred as a result of medical negligence.
What Are Cheek Implants?
The likes of Madonna, Meg Ryan, and Priscilla Presley all have them, but what exactly are cheek implants?
Designed to change the shape and definition of the cheeks, this kind of implant surgery may be desirable to those wanting to: regain a more youthful look, achieve a higher cheek bone, or correct symmetry of the face. The procedure itself is performed under a general anaesthetic and involves a surgeon inserting implants - made out of silicone or other non-biological materials - over the cheek bones, via an incision made either below the eye or inside the mouth where the cheek and upper gum join. The operation is regularly carried out in conjunction with other facial cosmetic surgery, such as a facelift, rhinoplasty or brow lift.
While swelling, bruising, and temporary numbness of the nose and upper lip are common short-term side effects, your healthcare professional should advise you on post-operative care which will aid the healing process. This may include taking steps such as:-
Avoid touching the implant;
Keep your mouth clean and use mouthwash after meals;
Take care not to disturb stitches when brushing your teeth;
Take Arnica tablets;
Avoid products which contain aspirin;
Avoid straining or exercise.
Cheek Implant Surgery and Medical Negligence.
Cheek implant surgery carries many risks and potential problems. Some of these are unforeseeable, such as your body rejecting the implants, which will then demand further surgery in order to remove them. However, there are a number of examples when complications during or after cheek implant surgery can lead to a medical negligence claim, including (but not exhaustively):-
Bleeding (haematoma);
Infection;
Excessive scarring;
Implants moving or shifting out of alignment - implants may shift, meaning another operation is needed to realign them;
Capsular contracture - where the scar tissue tightens around the cheek implant, causing pain and a mis-shapen appearance;
Nerve damage, loss of sensation, or loss of muscle control;
Asymmetry.
In many of these cases a patient will be left in a considerable amount of physical and emotional pain, and may have to face to prospect of further corrective surgery. Understandably, many patients do not want to receive surgery from the same consultant who undertook the first operation.